US5351156A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for cleaning disks
Assignee: HGST Netherlands BV
•
Filing: 1992-03-25
•
Granted: 1994-09-27
•
Expires: 2012-03-25
Abstract
Abstract The back edge of a disk drive slider is used to remove debris from disk media by slowly sweeping it from the inner diameter of the disk to the outer diameter of the disk while the disk is rotating backwards from normal. The sweeping operation is completed while the disks are still gaining rotational speed so that liftoff velocity is not achieved. Material accumulated on the back edge of the slider is either dumped at the outer diameter of the disk, or remains on the back edge of the slider as normal operation is commenced.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas A. Gregory
- 👤 Christopher G. Keller
- 👤 James M. Severson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 17:02
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B23/00; G11B23/50; G11B33/00; G11B33/14; G11B33/1446; G11B23/505; G11B25/00; G11B25/04; G11B25/043
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 45
Claim 1
Independent Claim
70 words
A data storage device comprising: a disk having a data storing surface; means for controllably rotating said disk in first and second directions; a slider supported adjacent the data storing surface of said disk, said slider transducing data when said disk is rotated in the first direction; and means for moving the slider to remove debris from the data storing surface when said disk is rotated in the second direction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
70 words
A data storage device comprising: a disk having a data storing surface; means for controllably rotating said disk in first and second directions; a slider supported adjacent the data storing surface of said disk, said slider transducing data when said disk is rotated in the first direction; and means for moving the slider to remove debris from the data storing surface when said disk is rotated in the second direction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The data storage device of claim 1 wherein said slider supports a head for reading and writing data.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The data storage device of claim 2 wherein said head comprises a magnetoresistive transducer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The data storage device of claim 2 wherein said head comprises a thin film magnetoresistive transducer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The data storage device of claim 2 wherein said head comprises an inductive transducer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The data storage device of claim 2 wherein said head comprises a thin film inductive transducer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The data storage device of claim 1 wherein said slider is comprised of a ceramic material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The data storage device of claim 1 wherein said slider is comprised of ferrite.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The data storage device of claim 1 wherein said slider is overcoated with carbon.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The data storage device of claim 1 wherein said slider supports a ferrite transducer head for reading and writing data.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
51 words
The data storage device of claim 1 wherein said slider has an outer diameter rail and a back end surface, said slider further comprising a plowing edge formed by the intersection of the surface of said outer diameter rail adjacent the disk surface, and the back end surface of the slider.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
The data storage device of claim 11 wherein said slider further comprises an outer diameter edge and a second plowing edge formed by the intersection of the outer diameter edge of the slider and the surface of the outer diameter rail adjacent the disk surface.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
46 words
The data storage device of claim 12 wherein the angle of intersection of the outer diameter edge of the slider and the surface of the outer diameter rail is sufficiently great and sharp to inhibit debris on the disk surface from sliding under the rail surface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
The data storage device of claim 1 wherein said slider has at least one rail, and a plowing edge formed by the intersection of the surface of at least one rail adjacent the disk surface and at least one side of the slider.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
44 words
The data storage device of claim 14 wherein the angle of intersection of the outer diameter edge of the slider and the surface of said rail is sufficiently great and sharp to inhibit debris on the disk surface from sliding under the rail surface.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
The data storage device of claim 1 and further comprising: means for monitoring the error rates of the disk drive; and means for initiating the cleaning of the disk based on said error rates.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
The data storage device of claim 1 and further comprising: means for monitoring the number of start-stop cycles of the disk drive; and means for initiating the cleaning of the disk based on said count.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
58 words
The data storage device of claim 1 and further comprising: means for monitoring the error rates of the disk drive; means for initiating the cleaning of the disk based on said error rates; means for monitoring the number of start-stop cycles of the disk drive; and means for initiating the cleaning of the disk based on said count.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
66 words
A data storage device comprising: a disk having a data storing surface; means for controllably rotating said disk in first and second directions; a slider supported adjacent the data storing surface of said disk, said slider having a surface forming a plowing edge; and means for moving the slider to plow debris from the data storing surface when said disk is rotated in the second direction.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
66 words
A data storage device comprising: a disk having a data storing surface; means for controllably rotating said disk in first and second directions; a slider supported adjacent the data storing surface of said disk, said slider having a surface forming a plowing edge; and means for moving the slider to plow debris from the data storing surface when said disk is rotated in the second direction.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
95 words
A data storage device comprising: a disk having a data storing surface; means for controllably rotating said disk in first and second directions; a slider supported adjacent the data storing surface of said disk, said slider having a surface forming a plowing edge; means for moving the slider to plow debris from the data storing surface when said disk is rotated in the second direction; a frame for supporting the disk rotating means and actuator means; and a cover sealingly coupled to the frame for preventing harmful particle contamination from entering the data storage device.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
95 words
A data storage device comprising: a disk having a data storing surface; means for controllably rotating said disk in first and second directions; a slider supported adjacent the data storing surface of said disk, said slider having a surface forming a plowing edge; means for moving the slider to plow debris from the data storing surface when said disk is rotated in the second direction; a frame for supporting the disk rotating means and actuator means; and a cover sealingly coupled to the frame for preventing harmful particle contamination from entering the data storage device.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
The data storage device of claim 20 wherein said slider supports a head for reading and writing data.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
The data storage device of claim 21 wherein said head comprises a magnetoresistive transducer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
The data storage device of claim 21 wherein said head comprises a thin film magnetoresistive transducer.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
14 words
The data storage device of claim 21 wherein said head comprises an inductive transducer.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
The data storage device of claim 21 wherein said head comprises a thin film inductive transducer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
16 words
The data storage device of claim 20 wherein said slider is comprised of a ceramic material.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
14 words
The data storage device of claim 20 wherein said slider is comprised of ferrite.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
14 words
The data storage device of claim 20 wherein said slider is overcoated with carbon.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
41 words
The data storage device of claim 20 wherein said slider has an outer diameter rail, and said plowing edge is formed by the intersection of the surface of the rail adjacent the disk surface, and the back end of the slider.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
33 words
The data storage device of claim 29 wherein a second plowing edge is formed by the intersection of the outer diameter edge of the slider and the surface of the outer diameter rail.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
45 words
The data storage device of claim 30 wherein the angle of intersection of the outer diameter edge of the slider and the surface of the outer diameter rail is sufficiently great enough to inhibit debris on the disk surface from sliding under the rail surface.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
78 words
The data storage device of claim 20 wherein the slider includes an outer diameter rail and an outer diameter edge, said plowing edge formed at the intersection of the outer diameter edge and the surface of the outer diameter rail, the angle of intersection between the outer diameter edge of the slider and the surface of the outer diameter rail being sufficiently great and sharp to inhibit debris on the disk surface from sliding under the rail surface.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
46 words
The data storage device of claim 30 wherein the angle of intersection of the outer diameter edge of the slider and the surface of the outer diameter rail is sufficiently great and sharp to inhibit debris on the disk surface from sliding under the rail surface.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
34 words
The data storage device of claim 20 and further comprising: means for monitoring the error rates of the disk drive; and means for initiating the cleaning of the disk based on said error rates.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
35 words
The data storage device of claim 20 and further comprising: means for monitoring the number of start-stop cycles of the disk drive; and means for initiating the cleaning of the disk based on said count.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
58 words
The data storage device of claim 20 and further comprising: means for monitoring the error rates of the disk drive; means for initiating the cleaning of the disk based on said error rates; means for monitoring the number of start-stop cycles of the disk drive; and means for initiating the cleaning of the disk based on said count.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
65 words
A data storage device comprising: a disk having a data storing surface; means for controllably rotating said disk in first and second directions; and a slider supported adjacent the data storing surface of said disk, said slider transducing data when said disk is rotated in the first direction, and removing debris from the data storing surface when said disk is rotated in the second direction.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
65 words
A data storage device comprising: a disk having a data storing surface; means for controllably rotating said disk in first and second directions; and a slider supported adjacent the data storing surface of said disk, said slider transducing data when said disk is rotated in the first direction, and removing debris from the data storing surface when said disk is rotated in the second direction.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
34 words
The data storage device of claim 37 and further comprising: means for monitoring the error rates of the disk drive; and means for initiating the cleaning of the disk based on said error rates.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
58 words
The data storage device of claim 37 and further comprising: means for monitoring the error rates of the disk drive; means for initiating the cleaning of the disk based on said error rates; means for monitoring the number of start-stop cycles of the disk drive; and means for initiating the cleaning of the disk based on the count.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
119 words
A data storage device comprising: a disk having a data storing surface; means for controllably rotating said disk in first and second directions; a slider supported adjacent the data storing surface of said disk, said slider having a surface forming a plowing edge; actuator means for moving the slider to plow debris from the data storing surface when said disk is rotated in the second direction; a frame for supporting the disk rotating means and actuator means; a cover sealingly coupled to the frame for preventing harmful particle contamination from entering the data storage device; means for monitoring the error rates of the disk drive; and means for initiating the cleaning of the disk based on said error rates.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
119 words
A data storage device comprising: a disk having a data storing surface; means for controllably rotating said disk in first and second directions; a slider supported adjacent the data storing surface of said disk, said slider having a surface forming a plowing edge; actuator means for moving the slider to plow debris from the data storing surface when said disk is rotated in the second direction; a frame for supporting the disk rotating means and actuator means; a cover sealingly coupled to the frame for preventing harmful particle contamination from entering the data storage device; means for monitoring the error rates of the disk drive; and means for initiating the cleaning of the disk based on said error rates.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-09-26 | 1998-03-28 | 1998-09-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-09-26 | 2002-03-28 | 2002-09-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-09-26 | 2006-03-28 | 2006-09-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |